Filing device



Patented Feb. ,26,Y 1935 i 1,9924@ y f Y FILING M i i william Evans] Camp, Pat 7. Application May 1, issasen'ai No. 668,711.. *l i 4 esta.. @gialle This invention relates to filingV systems or de-` vices and, more particularly to'receptacles, such as drawers or trays, for the retention of cards arranged in consecutive relation, alphabetically, numerically, or similar predetermined sequence; said cards bearing reference dataor` other informative matter-#which may beinspected, for a particular card elevated or removed at will, lfor pcstingpurposes and so forth.` :The primary object of my invention is to so shape or corrugate the surface on which the filing cardsrest asto provide an Valternating series of V highi and low positions, vso that the `leading card` at each high point will have its` top margin eX- posed above the top edges of the cards immediately in advance ofit, whereby the ling indicia,

rorother informative `data endorsed across the top` of said high card may be visible fromthe front of the drawer or tray.` i l f Another object is.` to provide a self indexing card le in which the top margins of cards at in` tervals from front to back of the retaininggrecepytacle automatically elevate themselves 'andbecome visible above `the balance ofthe cardsv in the complete series.

A furtherobjeot is to so shape the surfaceon which the cards rest so as to provide a gradual slope, from each high cardfhaving its upper mar,-

`features. f Fig. 2 is a similar `perspective view looking i consecutively.

gin exposed, toward the rearor next high card,

whereby the tops ofthe cards on said slope are 1 supported in fanned,l relation and are thereby more easily fingered for selection or removal.

Ancillary objects, as well asa full compreheri` sion of the advantagesof my invention, will beV apparent to those acquainted with the art upon a perusal of thefollowing `description and sub-` joined claims in conjunction with the accom" panying drawings; and on whichV like referencei` symbols indicate corresponding parts in all the` views.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a perspective View of avcard-iilingV drawer embodying the present improvements, as viewed from a frontal angle,` and withk portions broken away to better disclose otherwise hidden from the rear toward thefront of the drawer.

Fig. 3 is a perspective View, corresponding to Fig. 2, of a filing tray embodying the instant inl vention.l

n Fig. 4 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional `view through Fig. 1. o i l Figs. 5 to 7 inclusive are, respectively, fragmentaryillustrationsof further forms of the 3invention, and later on individually more fullyde.- l

sentarV Y, y ,i

l VReferring.first to Figs. 1 and ,12,ia conventional `form of standard filing-cabinet or desk*` drawer l is comprehensively designated by the symbol D;

the same `embodying front andrear wallsWL 2, side walls 3, a bottomA 4, and a follower 5,-in ace cordanceiwith known] practice `in the art.

l. In adapting the drawer D tomy improve` mentalform or furnishin the bottom `1,in`side ofsaid drawer, paralleling corrugations or attacliiedelements 6, each" of the'latter beingsuit-V ably fashionedto provide a succession of transverselyraligned ridges or abutments 7,"dening Vreaujwardiy-declining card-support 8; with' inter- Vvenin'gf ats or horizontalfportions 9,; Prefer? ably, although not essential1y,'the elements are i madefrom sheet metal with the ridge abutments 7 N in consecutive equally-spaced relation while ythe card-supporting sections V8,niay have `the upper surface wholly,'or in part `suitably roughened, as

indicated at'10`in Figs." 1 and 2. `These transf verse corrugations or ridge abutments '7 tendto j prevent the'last card on the sloping` surface 8 fromslidingdown; while the roughing 10 is `to prevent the cards from sliding down towards or against the rearwardly-considered abutment?, thereby decreasing pressure against said `abut`` ment. Provision of the flats 9 also serves'a similar purpose by allowing the rearmost card sup` i ported on'each surface 8, 9 to drop and'reveal thecard on the next succeeding ridge 7.

Each series of cards, bearing frontal name data -d,and serial numberings n across the upper `margins, arey designated by the symbol 11, and

it willbe readilyunderstood that when the space intervening consecutive abutments 7 is substantiall'ypacked, that said cardsare retained inapproximately vertical position, as shown. Furthermore it vwill be also noted that the individual cards 11 are supported on the sections in downwardlyvious that as each set of cards 11 is manipulated by the vforeilnger, as indicated'in dot-and-dash f lines in Fig. V4, that the inclined supporting-sec- Vdeclined individual relation.` Now it will beobtion 8 therebelow fans the top edges of said* cards Tand thereby renders it easier to finger-them,

Still further, it will be readily understood that by the act of what is commonly termed thumbing the cards that the card or cards fanned or, r `being inspected, arev rearwardlyv projected at the Y `loweredges against the proximate abutment` '7 i with incidental retention of the succeeding set Y in proper position without the leading card or cards.V thereof slipping downinto the' forward l flat 9.

A.above set forth. AccordinglyV corresponding ref- ]erence symbols are applied in order to avoid repetitive explanation. l Y' In Fig. 5 the'v element 6 is shown with a conveXed card supporting sectionV 16, and in FigJG said section is concaved, as at 16'; both of said formations materially aiding anning Vof the cards.

In Fig. 7 I have illustrated a still further forma v tion for the corrugated .element or 'elementsd of the card supporting sections 8.'

wherein the abutments '7 are of vsornewhat'greater height, and are retroverted; for exampla'to provide ridge-'stops 17 at the upper forward edges f Obviously, these stops'l'l may be votherwise vformed and are designed to preclude the leading card of each divisionffrom falling forwardly into the preceding division and becoming damaged incident to frequent usage or removal. Y

Incidentally it is to be remarkedthat the' card supporting surfaces or elements'maybe generally described as saw-toothed shaped corrug'ations with the steep `or vertical edges towards the iront of the drawer D'or tray T nand the less steep or sloping edges declined toward the rear thereof. Further it is noteworthy .that when the cards are placed in a drawer or tray, embodying my improvements, `they inay Vbe considered as automatically separating themselves v inte consecutive sections or sets with the leading i card of. each such vsection or set in the highest position with its upper'margin exposed, Vand the lastcard of the 'same section or setimmediately in front of the rst card of the succeeding set, but l in a depressed position so as not'to'obscure the informativeupper margin of Ythe said firstcard of such succeeding set. i l Y From the foregoing it is thought the Vmerits and advantages of my invention will be fully appreciated, while it is self-evident that the card separating elements 6 may be formed as inserts foriiling receptacles, as attachments therein, or as integral parts ofthe receptacle bottom 4. Furf thermore while the described structures are particularly well adapted for drawers .and trays, the

the necessity of providing the cards with dataV .tongues or tabs `that are so readily damaged or broken off. Accordingly I do not desire to be restricted to the precise structural embodiments il- .lustrated and described, other than as limited by the 'terms of the subjoined claims. n

Having thus .described my v.invention what I claim is:-

vl. As a new article of Vnianrracture an insert for rugated to providejsubstantially vertical surfaces with intervening inclined cardsupporting lareas and lower narrowflats.

2. As a new article of `rnanufacturevan insert lingreceptacles consisting of sheetmetal cor-- for ling receptaclescorrugated to provide substantially Vertical Awalls with intervening arcuate card-supporting areas. f

3. As a new article of manufactureV an insert for filing receptacles corrugated to provide substantially vertical walls with intervening arcuate. card-supporting areasand lower narrowilats.

4. AV ling devicefor cards comprising areceptacle adapted toreceive cards, and meansfor supporting cards in the receptacle in groups congitudinally of the receptacleand'crimped'transversely to form upstanding ridges each having a vertically Vdisposed front face and av downward- .sisting of a Vstrip ofl sheetlrnaterial extending lon- 

